Foreign Affairs Minister touts policy of restraint
Foreign Affairs Minister touts policy of restraintListen to this articleThailand has reaffirmed its policy of "strategic patience" and restraint along the Cambodian border to prevent a return to violence while prioritising the safety of people living in border communities, Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said yesterday. The issue was raised during discussions with his counterparts from Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Singapore on the sidelines of the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting Retreat in Cebu, the Philippines, from Jan 28–29. Mr Sihasak said the four states during the meeting expressed concern over the tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border. The regional partners, he said, were keen to see a swift de-escalation and the return of Asean unity. "We must exercise the utmost restraint to preserve peace, while ensuring that this localised issue does not become an obstacle to building a stronger Asean community."
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 15:10 UTC
Vietnam police seize tonnes of fake coffee products made from soybeans
Vietnam police seize tonnes of fake coffee products made from soybeansListen to this articleCoffee beans. The police seized 4.1 tonnes of fake coffee products and three tonnes of raw materials during the raid, which took place in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, the ministry said in a statement. "Fake coffee products are not rare, and they can be made from soybean or corn, or even both," said Nguyen Quang Tho, a coffee trader based in the neighbouring province of Dak Lak. "Soybeans and corn are edible and a lot cheaper than real coffee beans, but who knows if it's safe for the health to drink these fake coffee products," Tho trader. Farmers in the Central Highlands are selling coffee beans at 100,500-100,100 dong (122 baht) per kg, around three times higher than the price for soybeans.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:45 UTC
Where Bangkokians go to fix their phones and laptops
Recommended: CM Network & @AT MOBILE for computer repair; Kingdom Store & Tech Avenue for phone repairs. Recommended: 3 Buddy Computer MBK & MobileHouse for computer repair; 3G Mobile Phone, Houk & Bank for phone repairs. Phone repair shops at MBK Center. Recommended: Tee Noi & Labcom Service for computer repair; L Phone for phone repairs. They usually focus on selling computer parts and phones, but they can usually help with repairs too, at a little higher price than the ones listed above.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:41 UTC
Guru's Weekly Buzz: Jan 30-Feb 5
Guru By Bangkok Post's weekly pick of the most exciting products, activities, food and travel to indulge in. Art exhibition / Hyatt Regency Bangkok SukhumvitHyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit is hosting the “Animal In Art” exhibition curated by Michel Bohbot. Wedding showcase / Avani Sukhumvit Bangkok / Feb 14-15Avani Sukhumvit Bangkok will host the “Petals & Promises” wedding showcase from Feb 14–15 at the Grand Chambray Ballroom. The band is designed by Black creatives and allies at Apple, and showcase the colours of the Pan-African flag. School debut / Middleton International School BangkokEtonHouse International Education Group has expanded its footprint in Southeast Asia with the debut of Middleton International School Bangkok (MISB).
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:35 UTC
Nipah airport screening ineffective, say experts
Listen to this articleA passenger is checked with a thermal imager at Soekarno Hatta International Airport near Jakarta, one of many locations in Asia where arriving passengers are being screened. (Photo: Reuters)LONDON - Airport screening for Nipah virus, which has been stepped up across Asia this week after two cases were identified in India, are more about reassurance than science, several leading experts said on Friday. Piero Olliaro, professor of poverty-related disease at the University of Oxford, said airport screening for such a rare disease was likely to be ineffective. Olliaro and other public health experts said airport temperature screening rarely worked to stop the spread of disease. Also, many illnesses can cause a fever, and follow-up testing for a rare disease like Nipah is time-consuming, the experts added.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:24 UTC
Myanmar election delivers victory for military-backed party amid civil war
(Photo: Reuters)NAY PYI TAW — Myanmar's military-backed party has completed a sweeping victory in the country's three-phase general election, state media said, cementing an outcome long expected after a tightly controlled political process held during civil war and widespread repression. The Union and Solidarity Party (USDP) dominated all phases of the vote, winning an overwhelming majority in Myanmar's two legislative chambers. Myanmar has been in political turmoil since the coup, with the crushing of pro-democracy protests sparking a nationwide rebellion. Myanmar's military government insists the polls were free and fair, and supported by the public. Under Myanmar's political system, the military is also guaranteed 25% of parliamentary seats, ensuring continued control even after power is formally transferred to a civilian-led administration.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:22 UTC
Singapore property execs resign over adultery allegations
Singapore property execs resign over adultery allegationsListen to this articlePhoto: PropertyLimBrothersSINGAPORE — Two senior executives of a top Singapore real estate agency have stepped down from their roles amid allegations of adultery. PropertyLimBrothers (PLB) said that Melvin Lim, its CEO and co-founder, and Grayce Tan, vice-president of strategy, had been removed from the employee register on Jan 26. After one of Singapore’s most talked about scandals of the week, a screenshot purporting to show Lim's apology surfaced on Reddit. PLB was formed by Lim and Adrian Lim in 2017. Melvin Lim is married with two children, while Tan got married in September last year.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:20 UTC
Thai political instability stalls Malaysia rail link
Kuala Lumpur hopes talks on connection to Narathiwat can resume soonListen to this articleA train prepares to depart from Sungai Kolok station in Narathiwat province. Malaysia hopes to see its trains crossing the border to the southern Thai province again. "Malaysia also welcomes Thailand's intention to extend its rail network to Rantau Panjang,” Bernama quoted him as saying n Thursday. "The Malaysian government is ready and hopes that this connection project can be implemented once again,” he added. The two countries for years have been considering the revival of train links between Narathiwat and Kelantan, which were terminated decades ago.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:20 UTC
Bank of Thailand plays down US currency watchlist move
Listen to this articleThe Bank of Thailand says it remains confident in its ability to manage baht volatility against the US dollar after Thailand was added to a US Treasury watchlist for currency practices. She said the central bank typically manages baht volatility against the US dollar in both directions and does not pursue any objective of currency manipulation. The recent designation was based mainly on Thailand’s trade and current account surpluses with the US, Ms Chayawadee said. Exporters are advised to be cautious about baht volatility, the source noted. The TNSC reiterated that Thailand’s exchange rate policy is determined by market mechanisms and is not intended to create unfair trade advantages.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:19 UTC
Trump picks new Federal Reserve chief
Trump in August named White House adviser Stephen Miran to the Fed, where he has become a leading proponent of the aggressive rate cuts that Trump has long sought. He has also called for a broad overhaul of the central bank that would slim its balance sheet and ease bank regulations. It is not clear how the pick may affect the trajectory of rates in the short term. The Fed’s three rate cuts in 2025 brought short-term borrowing costs to the 3.50%-3.75% range. Warsh’s inflation concerns proved misplaced, but the large size of the Fed’s balance sheet, and the role it plays in managing interest rates, have remained a concern.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:17 UTC
One killed, three injured in fireworks factory explosion in Suphan Buri
One killed, three injured in fireworks factory explosion in Suphan BuriListen to this articleRescue personnel and firefighters clear the site of a firework explosion in Don Chedi district, Suphan Buri on Friday. (Photo: Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation)A fireworks factory explosion in Don Chedi district of Suphan Buri on Friday morning left one person dead and three others injured. The explosion, which was reported at around 7am, occurred at a fireworks factory in village Moo 6 in tambon Rai Rot of Don Chedi district, said Pol Lt Col Sukhon Songsakun, investigation chief at Don Chedi police station. At around 9am, Suphan Buri Governor Natthaphong Sa-nguanjit and provincial police chief Pol Maj Gen Watcharin Prasopdee, led police and other officials to inspect the scene. The factory, a single-storey structure, was completely gutted in the explosion.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 14:06 UTC
Truck topples 70 power poles in Samut Prakan
Truck topples 70 power poles in Samut PrakanListen to this articleMEA technicians work to repair one of the collapsed electricity poles as they rush to restore power along old Sukhumvit Road in Samut Prakan on Friday. The incident occurred around 1am near Muang Samut Bang Pu Hospital and continued towards the entrance of Bang Pu Industrial Estate. The force of the pull caused a long line of medium‑sized 12‑metre poles to collapse in succession, causing extensive damage to the power distribution system. Traffic at the entrance to Bang Pu Industrial Estate was initially a concern, though police later confirmed that vehicles could still enter and exit the area without disruption. Pol Col Watchara Thepsane, chief of Bang Pu police station, said the truck driver tested negative for alcohol.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 13:35 UTC
China renews call to avoid traveling to Japan after robbery in Tokyo
China renews call to avoid traveling to Japan after robbery in TokyoListen to this articleA woman walks on a beach as Japan Coast Guard ships are docked at a port in the background in Ishigaki, Okinawa prefecture, Japan, on Jan 13, 2026. (Photo: Reuters)The Chinese embassy in Tokyo on Friday renewed its advice for Chinese citizens to avoid travelling to Japan after a hefty cash robbery took place on the streets of the Japanese capital the day before. The call, made on the official WeChat account, came after a group of two Chinese and three Japanese nationals was allegedly robbed of suitcases containing some 420 million yen (85 million baht) in Tokyo's Ueno district, with one of the Chinese pepper-sprayed. The embassy has asked Japanese police to swiftly solve the robbery case and take effective measures to protect the lives and property of Chinese nationals in Japan, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. It urged those already in the country to closely monitor local public security conditions and strengthen personal safety precautions, according to the news agency.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 13:35 UTC
Bangkok speeds up expansion of dust‑free classrooms
Listen to this articleKindergarten students at Wat Wimuttayaram School in the Bang Phlat area of Bangkok learn in classrooms equipped with air purifiers. (File photo)The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is accelerating its programme to convert all kindergarten classrooms in its school network into dust‑free learning spaces by year-end, as the capital continues to battle hazardous air pollution. The city is prioritising young children and vulnerable groups, who face the highest health risks from exposure to PM2.5 fine dust pollution, BMA spokesman Eakwaranyu Amrapal said on Friday. Meanwhile, Kosol Singhanat, deputy director of the BMA’s Education Department, and City Hall staff inspected Wat Wimuttayaram School in Bang Phlat district, one of the model schools for PM2.5 preparedness. At 7am Friday, unsafe levels of ultrafine dust at the orange level (starting to harm health) were reported in 45 areas across the capital, according to the Bangkok Air Quality Information Centre.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 11:54 UTC
Malaysian Minister claims work stress can ‘turn people gay’
Malaysian Minister claims work stress can ‘turn people gay’Listen to this articleDr Zulkifli Hasan. (official Facebook page)Malaysia’s Minister for Religious Affairs has been criticised after saying work stress can cause people to adopt an LGBTQ+ identity, with human rights advocates at home and abroad condemning the remarks as 'dehumanising'. He was quoted as saying that when individuals become exhausted from overwork, stress can dominate both the mind and mental state, potentially leading to changes in sexual orientation. LGBTQ+ communities, civil rights activists and human rights organisations criticised the statements as unscientific, overly generalised and dehumanising. They argued that they reduce sexual orientation and gender identity to a supposed by-product of fatigue or a lack of religious devotion.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 30, 2026 11:51 UTC